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Working alone
Being in a space that's free from distractions while managing your time may sound perfect. But working alone is not a cure-all. Remote work can make you realize that the battle was never external; it's internal.
Working alone is about creating a space where concentration becomes accessible. However, sitting in solitude for a few minutes makes you get up to grab a snack or check Twitter. Or you don't know when to call it a day.
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Going with the flow
Elements to help you reach a state of flow.
- There are specific goals every step of the way.
- There is immediate feedback to your actions.
- There is a balance between challenges and skills.
- Action and awareness are merged.
- Distractions are excluded from consciousness.
- There is no worry of failure.
- Self-consciousness disappears.
- The sense of time becomes distorted.
- The activity becomes autotelic.
To allow this deep work to occur requires you to be vigilant about outside interruptions.
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The ability to face distractions
Solitude can initially make you squirm but later becomes a bedrock for intense concentration and creativity. Deflect distractions and use solitude to your advantage:
- Listen to the sounds of nature. It calms the storm of thoughts and allows you to focus on the task at hand.
- Accept imperfection. Don't chase an "ideal" work environment; accept what you have.
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Know when the day is done
A routine is vital to get you to reach a deeper state of mind.
Be very clear and deliberate about what you should do, what you can't do, or wouldn't do. Without boundaries, you will work into the night, thinking you are productive.
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Find your natural habitat
We can learn through experimentation which environments are best suited for us at specific times of the day. Keep tabs on your mood and productivity when you're in different settings.
The fun of working alone is doing it on your terms. Don't let a productivity blog tell you the"right" way to work.
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Being alone during a pandemic
Being alone and, therefore, forced to face our own thoughts, can prove rather disturbing. People need other people to feel well: being sociable is not anymore just a skill to develop, it is a mere ...
Enforced solitude and its advantages
The current pandemic has us facing one of our biggest fears: staying alone, dealing with our own emotions and thoughts. However, this situation has also a great deal of advantages. While in self-isolation, we can use this time to improve ourselves by discovering new hobbies or just developing skills we have already gathered, cultivating our mind through reading. In fewer words, we finally have the time to learn how to deal with ourselves. And this is always a good thing.
The wonders of a clear sense of purpose during isolation
As difficult as it may seem, self-isolation has its benefits. When spending your time alone, the key to handle this situation is to find a purpose in your suffering. In other words, focus on why your suffering is doing good to others as well as to yourself. Furthermore, the fact that you stick to a certain routine or that
everybody is doing the same thing provides you not only with a meaning, but also with a sense of belonging.
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Self-imposed solitude
Solitude can be invaluable and rewarding.
Moments of solitude – even small ones – when self-imposed, intentional, and fully appreciated, can have profound effects on our productivit...
Undercover Introverts
One in every two or three people is an introvert – preferring quiet alone time to stimulation and large groups of people.
Stepping away from the routine and rowdiness of our daily lives allows us to connect ideas in new ways, follow creative impulses, and simply think about one thing at a time.
Creativity And Efficiency Need Solitude
Being alone is uncomfortable at times. But when it comes to creative work and thinking, it’s important to take a long-term view on those moments of discomfort.
Being alone has a kind of a rebound effect. It’s like bitter medicine, creating more positive emotions and less self-reported depression down the line.
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Isolated from outside input
We think of solitude in terms of remote cabins or mountain tops. But the real key to solitude is to step away from reacting to the output of other minds: be it listening to a podca...
Regular doses of solitude are crucial for your brain
Spending time isolated from other minds is what allows you to process and regulate complex emotions. It’s the only time you can refine the principles on which you can build a life of character. It’s what allows you to crack hard problems, and is often necessary for creative insight.